People

Scott Loss

Educational/Professional Background

Postdoctoral Research Fellow - Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park (2011-2013)

PhD - University of Minnesota; Conservation Biology (2011)

MS - University of Illinois; Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences (2007)

BS - University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point; Wildlife Ecology and Management; Biology (2004)

Originally from Waukesha, Wisconsin, I like to spend my free time playing with my daughter, birding (both for fun and only somewhat competitively), traveling, hiking, bicycling, canoeing/kayaking, and brewing beer.

Scott on Google Scholar

Scott on ResearchGate

Dr. Ellen Robertson (Postdoctoral Fellow)

Ellen is a Postdoctoral Fellow funded through the South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center. Her research focuses on investigating effects of climate, habitat, and land use change on species distributions and demography using large-scale citizen science data. Ellen is also evaluating finer-scale effects of habitat management and micro-climate on species movements and demography with existing field data collected across thermal landscapes.

Ellen grew up in Asheville, NC and received her BS from Furman University, her MS from the University of Maine, and her PhD from the University of Florida. She was a Postdoctoral Associate with the University of Florida prior to joining Oklahoma State University in Feb 2020. Her general research interests include spatial ecology, species distributions, climate and land use change, and conservation. In her free time, Ellen enjoys spending time with family and being outside either hiking, biking, kayaking, backpacking, or running.

Dr. Dave Londe (Postdoctoral Fellow)

Dave is a Postdoctoral Fellow funded through the South Central Climate Adaption Science Center. His research focuses on effects of increasing climate variability on wetlands in the Southern Great Plains, and how this will in turn influence availability of stop-over habitat for migratory shorebirds. In addition to this work, Dave is also involved with a number of research projects focused on the conservation of grasslands and grassland birds in Oklahoma. Dave's project is being co-advised by Scott and Dr. Craig Davis (also in OSU NREM).

Dave grew up in Cheyenne, WY and received his BS from Jamestown College in North Dakota and his MS and PhD degrees from Oklahoma State University. His research interests include understanding how animals alter their space use and movement in response to changing environments resulting from human activity, and how broad-scale changes in climate and land use influence animal distribution and demographics. In his free time Dave enjoys running, mountain biking, fishing, hiking, and cooking.

Dr. Ellery Lassiter (Postdoctoral Fellow)

Ellery is a Postdoctoral Fellow funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In collaboration with USDA, U.S. Geological Survey, and U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Lab, Ellery is using big data to study effects of wind energy and USDA's Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) on birds, including potential interactive effects of wind and CRP. Her research results will also be used in an interdisciplinary analysis of ecological & economic outcomes of wind and CRP, and in models forecasting wind development scenarios in the U.S. Ellery is co-advised by Scott and Dr. Courtney Duchardt (also in NREM).

Ellery is originally from Richmond, Virginia and received her BS from Longwood University. She worked for the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute before starting her PhD at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and finishing her PhD at University of Arkansas. Ellery’s research interests include population dynamics, spatial ecology, and conservation biology. In her free time, Ellery enjoys playing board games and hiking with friends, as well as cooking and reading with her cat, Ham.

Matthew Broadway (PhD student)

Matt is leading a study with the goals of developing a protocol to monitor populations of Eastern Whip-poor-will and other nightjars in Oklahoma, and using the protocol to evaluate nightjar habitat associations in the state. Matt will also be developing other research aspects related to nightjar ecology, possibly including collaborative studies with other research groups currently investigating this charismatic and elusive species group. Matt's project is being co-advised by Scott along with Dr. Tim O'Connell (also in OSU NREM) and Dr. Rob Lonsinger (in the USGS Oklahoma Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit).

Matt received his BS degree from Auburn University and MS degree from the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. In his free time, he can be found camping, working out, renovating his vintage airstream, or hunting with his Red Setter.

Holly Todaro (PhD student)

Holly is the current Dr. Fritz L. Knopf PhD Fellow. Her project will focus broadly on grassland bird conservation, using both field components and existing datasets to answer novel research questions. Holly's project is being co-advised by Scott and Dr. Courtney Duchardt (also in OSU NREM).

Holly grew up in Port Huron, Michigan and received her BS from Central Michigan University, and her MS from Mississippi State University. Her general research interests include species-habitat interactions, investigating links between landscapes and spatial patterns using animal movement and/or distribution, and conservation. In her free time, Holly enjoys being outside, thrifting, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.

Lucas Bobay (Master's Student)

Lucas is studying the effects of fire and grazing on native and non-native earthworm populations in tallgrass prairies of the Flint Hills ecoregion, specifically, at the Nature Conservancy's Tallgrass Prairie Preserve near Pawhuska, Oklahoma. He is also investigating whether earthworms provide a potential fire-mediated food source for migratory shorebirds (e.g., American Golden Plover, Upland and Buff-breasted Sandpiper) that stopover in recently burned areas in this region. Lucas's project is being co-advised by Scott along with Dr. Sam Fuhlendorf (also in OSU NREM) and includes collaboration with Dr. Torre Hovick at North Dakota State University.

Lucas is originally from Raleigh, North Carolina, and received his BS in Wildlife Biology from North Carolina State University. His research interests center around applied ecology, conservation, and avian migration. An avid birder, Lucas also enjoys hiking, camping, traveling, cross-country skiing, and getting off the beaten path.

Jozlyn Kizer (Master's Student)

Jozlyn is co-leading our study of how woody plant encroachment into Great Plains grasslands (by eastern redcedar) is affecting tick populations and the ecology of tick-borne diseases. She is a graduate student in OSU's Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology and is being co-advised by Scott and Dr. Bruce Noden (also in OSU's EPP Department).

Jozlyn is from Mooreland, Oklahoma and received a BS degree in The History of Science, Technology, and Medicine from the University of Oklahoma. Her research interests center on the ecological impacts and spread of tick-borne diseases and public health awareness surrounding vector-borne diseases. Jozlyn's hobbies include camping, skiing, Jiu-Jitsu, and gardening.

Tucker Taylor (Master's Student)

Tucker is co-leading our study of how woody plant encroachment in Great Plains grasslands (by eastern redcedar) is affecting tick populations and the ecology of tick-borne diseases, and he will also evaluate how the role of birds in carrying ticks is affected by woody plant encroachment. He is a graduate student in OSU's Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology and is being co-advised by Scott and Dr. Bruce Noden (also in OSU's EPP Department).

Tucker grew up outside Boston, Mass, and received a BS in Biology from Tufts University. After years working in conservation biology, he made the leap to disease ecology while studying tick-infested songbirds. He hopes to use vector-borne disease ecology as a lens to approach public health problems, especially in the realm of tick-borne illnesses. You can usually find Tucker hosting board game nights or scoping the shores for feathery friends (coastline permitting).

Riley Lawson (Master's Student)

Riley is leading our study evaluating the effectiveness of window marker treatments in reducing bird-window collisions on the Oklahoma State University campus. Specifically, Riley will conduct a before-after control-impact study comparing post-treatment numbers of collisions to numbers of collisions observed in a baseline, pre-treatment study led by Dr. Corey Riding, Loss Lab PhD alumnus. Riley will also conduct research on other aspects of bird-window collisions and/or their management.

Riley is from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and received his BS degree in Natural Resource Ecology & Management from OSU in 2020. He previously worked in the Loss Lab in his undergraduate years on several projects, including a study on coyote sensory ecology that resulted in a first-authored publication, as well as several literature reviews. His research interests include avian ecology, conservation biology, and spatial ecology. In his free time, Riley enjoys birding, hiking, and playing/watching soccer.

Lab Alumni

Postdoctoral Fellows

Dr. Shishir Paudel (Postdoctoral fellow, 2014-2019)

Dr. Paudel worked on a U.S. DoD funded project to study the extent and ecological impacts of invasive earthworms on San Clemente Island, California, a location that was historically free of earthworms. He also assessed drivers of plant diversity and community composition on the island, including environmental and anthropogenic factors, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and grazing by invasive ungulates. Shishir is now a Research scientist at the Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Graduate Students

Georgia Riggs (MS Student, 2019-2021)

Georgia led a study evaluating effectiveness of a commercially marketed (FeatherFriendly) window film in reducing bird-window collisions; this was one of the first replicated, before-after field studies of its kind in the world. Georgia also published a paper about human perceptions of bird-window collisions to identify potential roadblocks (and educational opportunities to overcome roadblocks) that may prevent widespread use of bird friendly glass.

Yevgeniya Malyutina (MS Student, 2019-2021)

Yevgeniya led a project examining effects of non-native earthworms on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in tallgrass prairies in Oklahoma (a project in collaboration with and co-advised by Dr. Gail Wilson). This project examined influences of invasive earthworms on AMF hyphal abundance, earthworm-AMF interactions in prairies, and effects of the earthworm-AMF relationship on the AM-obligate species, big bluestem.

Dr. Jared Elmore (PhD student, 2016-2020)

Jared was OSU's first Dr. Fritz L. Knopf PhD Fellow. Jared's project addressed large scale issues related to bird conservation in the Great Plains. He brought together existing datasets to: (1) assess use of weather radar for predicting bird-building collisions, (2) identify drivers of bird-building collisions for different species and guilds across 3 countries, (3) review and synthesize avian community responses to prescribed fire, and (4) assess multi-scale habitat selection of migratory shorebirds. Jared is now a postdoctoral researcher at Mississippi State University.

Sirena Lao (MS student, 2017-2019)

Sirena coordinated a study of bird collisions with buildings in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. This work, led in collaboration with Audubon Minnesota and the University of Minnesota focused on bird collisions with buildings in downtown Minneapolis. In addition to conducting the first ever study of bird collisions at a sports stadium, Sirena studied the role of weather, as well as both artificial night lighting and polarized light, in bird-building collisions. Sirena is currently an environmental education & outreach specialist with the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory!

Matt Fullerton (MS Student, 2016-2019)

Matt studied the Oklahoma and Arkansas populations of the federally endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker. His research examined cavity tree selection and links between climate-related variables and nesting phenology and success; this project is one of few looking at the ecology of this species at the northwest periphery of its range. During his time in the Loss Lab, Matt was a full-time endangered species biologist with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, and he continues in this position today.

Dr. Corey Riding (PhD student, 2014-2019)

Corey studied bird-building collisions in Stillwater, OK. Despite the hundreds of millions of birds killed by building collisions each year in the U.S., relatively little is known about what makes some buildings particularly dangerous and why some species are especially at risk. Corey's project addressed drivers of variation in collisions, the effect of scavenger removal and surveyor detection on mortality estimates, and the role of night lighting and bird visual perception in collisions. Corey is now an Assistant Professor at Salt Lake Community College.

Megan Roselli (MS student, 2017-2019)

Megan led a study of the urban ecology of ticks, bird-tick interactions, and tick-borne diseases in Oklahoma City. This project, in collaboration with the Noden lab in OSU's Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, related both fine-scale habitat features and landscape-scale patterns of urbanization and greenspace to the ecology of tick-borne diseases, assessed the role of birds in carrying ticks in urban areas, and evaluated methods for sampling ticks from wild birds. Megan is currently the outreach coordinator and science educator at the DaVinci Science Center, in Allentown, Pennsylvania.,

Dillon Fogarty (MS student, 2014-2016)

Dillon studied how ground-nesting birds select habitat to minimize predation risk. He took the novel approach of studying whether birds use habitat to conceal their scents in addition to concealing themselves visually. Dillon also quantified variation in olfactory concealment across the broader landscape and in relation to major vegetation cover types. Dillon is now working on his PhD degree at the University of Nebraska.

Maureen Thompson (MS student, 2014-2016)

Maureen worked on a USGS-funded study to assess impacts of wind energy development on bats. Her research assessed correlates of bat collision rates and how different surveying methodologies influence estimation of mortality rates. Maureen is now pursuing her PhD degree at the University of New South Wales in Australia.

Undergraduate/Post-Undergraduate Researchers

Seraiah Coe (Undergraduate Researcher, 2018-2021)

Seraiah was an undergraduate researcher working on a project mentored by then-PhD student Jared Elmore using trail cameras to estimate numbers of free-ranging domestic cats. She led publication of a paper in the journal Wildlife Biology evaluating if abundance of cats had changed 5 years after implementation of a trap-neuter-return (TNR) program (a project that followed-up on our past study led by Lisa Elizondo).

Brooke Boughton (Undergraduate Researcher, 2021-2022)

Brooke was a Freshman Research Scholar and undergraduate researcher from the OSU Department of Animal and Food Sciences who contributed to our whole-lab collaboration to conduct a review and global synthesis of the literature on free-roaming domestic cat impacts on wildlife. As part of her contribution to the paper, on which she was a co-author, Brooke reviewed studies of how wildlife are affected by toxoplasmosis (a disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii, a pathogen for which cats are a definifitive host).

Abby Hurt (Undergraduate Researcher, 2020-2021)

Abby was an undergraduate researcher working with Georgia Riggs on her study of bird-window collisions in Stillwater. Abby led an independent study evaluating if abundance of different bird species near glass bus shelters predicts numbers of collisions at shelters. She also studied if human-related disturbances (e.g., car traffic and noise pollution) influence numbers of bird-glass collisions.

Riley Lawson (Undergraduate Researcher, 2016-2019)

Riley was an undergraduate research scholar who worked on a variety of projects in the Loss Lab, most notably leading an independent study that assessed mechanisms by which mammalian predators detect their prey (a project that Riley published in the Canadian Journal of Zoology). Riley also did significant data management contributing to our literature reviews on the effects of different energy sources on wildlife and on the effects of both prescribed fire and wildfire on birds.

Ashton Roberts (Undergraduate Researcher, 2016-2018)

Ashton was an undergraduate researcher and technician for our bird-building collision study in Stillwater. She helped develop a protocol to assess how birds see different types of buildings based on spectral measurements of light and building reflectance and also led a pilot study testing the use of a drone to measure light emission above buildings.

Kali Roberson (Undergraduate Researcher, 2016-2017)

Kali was an OSU Freshman Research Scholar working on our study of bird-building collisions in Stillwater. Her research project contributed new information about the frequency of collisions and rates of carcass removal by scavengers during winter, a season with very little existing research on this important source of bird mortality

Chrissy Barton (Post-undergraduate Researcher; 2016)

Chrissy was a research technician with the bird-window collision project in Stillwater, and she also led a side study of bird collisions at bus shelters that she published in PLoS ONE. Shelters are often made up of large, transparent panels of glass, and Chrissy found that a surprisingly high number of birds collide with them. Chrissy gathered data about the frequency of collisions and whether surrounding vegetation influences avian mortality at these shelters.

Katie Schwartz (Undergraduate Researcher, 2016)

Katie completed her senior Honors Thesis in the Loss Lab studying the Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program for feral cats in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Katie pursued a bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Ecology and Management with the Wildlife Biology and Pre-veterinary option and was also vice president of the OSU Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society. Katie is now a student in the vet school at OSU.

Lisa Elizondo (Undergraduate Researcher, 2014-2015)

Lisa worked on an undergraduate research study that used camera trapping and capture-recapture methods to estimate population densities of free-ranging cats in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Lisa successfully procured state and national grants to supplement this research and presented her project at multiple regional and national conferences. She has also completed a paper based on her work that is in press in the journal Wildlife Biology. Lisa is currently pursuing her PhD degree at the University of Delaware.

Cala Hakseth (Research Technician, 2014)

Cala worked as a research associate on a project studying the distribution and impacts of non-native earthworms on San Clemente Island, California (she also worked on Scott's previous earthworm research in Wisconsin). She conducted an independent project looking at the relationship between invasive plant distributions and the San Clemente Island road network. Cala now works as a technician with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.